System and method for detecting and controlling contraband devices

ABSTRACT

The growing problem of contraband devices being smuggled into a correctional facility raises both security and safety issue. General fixed contraband detection systems are not cost effective because they require a high up-front cost and high maintenance, training and upgrade cost after installation. The present disclosure provides details of a system and method to detect and control the usage of contraband devices in a correctional facility cost effectively. Such a system is portable and can be relocated to different locations. Such as system both detects contraband devices and disrupts the operations of the contraband devices. Such a system further provides a report on the severity of contraband usage to the correctional facility.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/484,883, filed on Apr. 11, 2017, which is incorporated by referenceherein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND Field

The disclosure relates to a system and method for detecting andcontrolling contraband devices in a correctional facility.

Background

In corrections environments such as prisons, telecommunications arehighly monitored and controlled. However, contraband devices arefrequently discovered in correctional facilities. Contraband deviceusage by inmates poses both a safety and a security risk by interruptingthe monitoring processes in prisons. To combat the usage the usage ofcontraband devices, a fixed detection system can be installed within thecorrectional facility. Such fixed detection systems, however, usuallyrequires a large upfront cost for installation. The operation andmaintenance of the system, training of the staff, and system software,firmware and hardware upgrade can result in further cost after theinstallation of the system. In addition, a fixed detection system isgenerally stationed in one correctional facility. After system isinstalled in one location, it is not easy to relocate the system inother locations, which limits the utilization as well as the costefficiency of the system. In addition, in general, a fixed detectionsystem is located within the correctional facility. Inmates may gainaccess to the fixed detection system and interrupt the operation of thesystem or damage the system, thus posing a great risk to the detectionsystem.

While various aspects and alternative features are known in the field ofcommunication monitoring, no one design has emerged that generallyintegrates all of the ideal features and performance characteristics asdiscussed herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS/FIGURES

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a partof the specification, illustrate embodiments of the present disclosureand, together with the description, further serve to explain theprinciples of the disclosure and to enable a person skilled in thepertinent art to make and use the embodiments.

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a correctional facility anddetection and control scheme for a correctional facility, according tosome embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary detection and controlsystem, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary detection and controlsystem, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary application server,according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary detachable detectionand control unit, according to some embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 6 illustrates a flow chart for an exemplary method to operate thedetection and control system, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart for an exemplary method to operate thedetection and control system for detecting and locating contrabanddevices, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 8 illustrates a computer system, according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present disclosure.

The present disclosure will be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicateidentical or functionally similar elements. Additionally, the left mostdigit(s) of a reference number identifies the drawing in which thereference number first appears.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Advances in communications technology have opened avenues for inmates tocircumvent more traditional forms of monitoring that are typicallyavailable in correctional facilities. Maintaining the ability to ensurecontrol and/or monitoring of communications from or to a controlledfacility is, therefore, an important aspect to the security of thecorrectional facilities. With the advances in cellular communicationstechnology, maintaining security becomes more difficult due to suchissues as the smuggling of prohibited equipment into a monitoredfacility. Due to the small size of certain of the morerecently-developed devices, such may avoid detection by moreconventional search techniques including, but not limited to, walkthrough and manual metal detectors and even physical “pat-down”searches.

Therefore, correctional facilities have the need to detect and controlthe use of the smuggling or “contraband” wireless and cellular devices.Due to the small size of certain of the more recently developed devicesand the ingenuity of violating parties, such contraband devices becomevery hard to detect or control by conventional searching techniques. Thecorrectional facilities may choose to install a fixed detection systemto detect and monitor the usage of the contraband devices within thefacilities. However, such systems usually require a large upfront costfor the installation, hardware and infrastructure, and initial trainingof the staff. Due to their complexity and delicacy, such systems usuallyrequire regular maintenance. In addition, with the rapid advancement ofcommunication technologies, such systems need to be upgraded frequentlyto keep up with the most advanced technologies utilized by thecontraband devices. The cost of maintenance and upgrade furtherincreases the total cost of operation of such fixed systems.

Moreover, once a fixed detection system is installed, the system isstationed within one facility/location. Without knowing the severity ofthe contraband device situation in a correctional facility, it may notbe economical to invest a large amount of funding to install a fixeddetection system before evaluating the need for such a system. Further,inmates may gain access to the detection system that is fixed in onelocation within the correctional facility and cause damage to the systemor interrupt the operations of the system. Such potential risks may alsogreatly impact the utilization and security of the detection system.

In light of the above, the present disclosure provides details of asystem and method for detecting, locating and disrupting a contrabanddevice by utilizing a portable detection and control system. Theportable detection and control system is configured to detect and locatecontraband devices within a correctional facility. The portabledetection and control system is also configured to actively disrupt thecommunication of the contraband devices to block the communications,intercept the communication information, and gain control of thecontraband devices. The portable detection and control system can beself-contained and fully enclosed in a transportable casing, so that itcan be moved from one location to another. More features of such asportable detection and control system are to be discussed in detail.

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a correctional facility anddetection and control scheme 100 for a correctional facility, accordingto some embodiments of the present disclosure. The detection and controlscheme comprises a detection and control system 110, a correctionalfacility 140, a communication center 150. The correctional facility 140comprises a contraband device 130. In some embodiments, there are morethan one contraband device in the correctional facility 140. In oneembodiment, there is another contraband device 131 in the correctionalfacility 140. The detection and control unit 110 can be placed atlocation A outside the correctional facility 140 to detect thecontraband device 130 in a “detection mode”. The contraband device 130is used by the inmates to communicate with outside network illegally. Insome embodiments, the communication is carried out between thecontraband device 130 and a communication center 150 outside thecorrectional facility 140. The communication center 150, in someembodiments, is a nearby telecommunication tower for the wirelessnetwork carrier of the contraband device. The communication between thecommunication 150 and the contraband device 130 can be carried out withdifferent communication technologies such as, but not limited to, GSM,2G-5G technologies, WCDMA, CDMA, TDMA, UMTS, WIMAX, WIFI, IBEACON,Bluetooth, LTE, 700 MHz to 2200 MHz or other frequency bandcommunication technologies. The detection and control unit 110 isconfigured to detect the transmission of signals of the contrabanddevice 130 using some or all the technologies described above. In someembodiments, the contraband device 130 can also communicate with anothercommunication center (e.g. communication center 151).

In some embodiments, the detection and control system 110 is alsoconfigured to intercept the transmitted data from the detectedcontraband device 130 and extract information from the detectedcontraband device 130 based on the transmitted data. Such informationincludes, but is not limited to, hardware information, data usageinformation, and location information of the contraband device 130 whenthe contraband device is detected. In some embodiments, the hardwareinformation further includes a hardware identification number of thecontraband device 130 (e.g. an international mobile subscriber identitynumber (IMSI), an electronic serial number (ESN), a mobile device ID,etc.), a phone number of the contraband device, and a phone number thatis communicating with the contraband device. In some embodiments, thedata usage information includes the duration of data transmissionconducted by the contraband device and the volume of the datatransmitted by the contraband devices.

In some embodiments, the location information of the contraband device130 is extracted by the detection and control system 110 by locating thecontraband device 130 with a number of different positioning techniques.The positioning techniques include, but are not limited to, lateration(e.g. trilateration) and angulation (e.g. triangulation). Lateration isa process of estimating the location a contraband device given thedistance measurements of the contraband device to a set of detectiondevices with known location. The location of the contraband device canbe calculated and estimated by solving a set of equations based on themeasured distances for each of the detection devices. Trilateration is alateration process when a set of three detection devices with knownlocations are used to estimate the contraband device location.Angulation is a process of estimating the location of a contrabanddevice given the measured angles between detecting devices at knownlocations and the contraband devices. The location of the contrabanddevice can be calculated and estimated by solving a set of equationsbased on the measured angles for each of the detection devices.Triangulation is an angulation process when a set of three detectiondevices with known locations are used to estimate the contraband devicelocation. In some embodiments, the distance of the contraband device toa detection device can be estimated by the Received Signal StrengthIndicator (RSSI) of the detected signal, and the measured angle can beestimated by the Direction of Arrival (DOA) of the detected signal.Further, the detection and control system 110 can be configured tocapture the motion of the contraband device 130 based on motiondetection techniques. One example of such techniques is Doppler effect.In some embodiments, the detection and control system 110 is furtherable to track the location of the contraband device 130 during the timeperiod when the contraband device is transmitting signal or is poweredon.

In some embodiments, the detection and control system 110 is configuredto generate detection event information for each detection event whenthe contraband device (e.g. contraband device 130) was detected. Suchdetection event information includes, but is not limited to, thedate/time when the contraband device was detected, the duration of thecontraband device being detected, and the location of the detection andcontrol system 110 when the contraband device was detected. In someembodiments, the detection and control system 110 is configured torecord the detection information (e.g. hardware information, locationinformation, data usage information, and detection event information,etc.) in a memory.

In some embodiments, the detection and control system 110 is alsoconfigured to analyze the recorded detection information in a givenperiod of time (i.e. all the detection event information, all thehardware information of the detected contraband devices, all the datausage information of the detected contraband devices, and all thelocation information of the detected contraband devices in the period oftime) to generate a collection of detection parameters. In someembodiments, the detection parameters include, but are not limited to,the total number of contraband device detection events, the total numberof detected contraband devices, the total time of contraband deviceusage, the total volume of the data transmitted by the contrabanddevices, the location and distribution of the contraband devices, andthe time and frequency of the data transmission made by the contrabanddevices.

In some embodiments, the detection and control system 110 is alsoconfigured to generate a report for the detection of the contrabanddevices (e.g. the contraband device 130) in a given period of time. Insome embodiments, the report for the detection of the contraband devicesin a given period of time includes all the detection event information,all the hardware information of the detected contraband devices, all thedata usage information of the detected contraband devices, and all thelocation information of the detected contraband devices in the period oftime. In some embodiments, the report for the detection of thecontraband devices includes the collection of detection parameters suchas, but not limited to, the total number of contraband device detectionevents, the total number of detected contraband devices, the total timeof contraband device usage, the total volume of the data transmitted bythe contraband devices, the location and distribution of the contrabanddevices, and the time and frequency of the data transmission made by thecontraband devices.

In some embodiments, the detection and control system 110 furtherincludes a degree of severity (DOS) in the report for the detection ofthe contraband devices. In some embodiments, the degree of severitygives guidance to the jurisdiction on the severity of the contrabanddevice usage. In some embodiments, the degree of severity is calculatedbased on the collection of detection parameters. In some embodiments,the degree of severity is a numerical number from 0 to 9, with 0 meaningno contraband device usage and 9 meaning the most severe contrabanddevice usage. In some embodiments, the calculation of a degree ofseverity is based on a predetermined rule defined by the jurisdictionofficers or the system administrator. In some embodiments, thepredetermined rule defines a selection of detection parameters such as“p1” for the number of detected contraband devices, “p2” for the numberof detection events, and “p3” for the total time of contraband deviceusage. The predetermined rule further defines a coefficient for eachdetection parameter (e.g. “c1” for “p1”, “c2” for “p2”, and “c3” for“p3”). The predetermined rule defines the relationship between thedegree of severity (DAS) and the detection parameters by an specificalgorithm (e.g. DAS=c1×p1+c2×p2+c3×p3). In some embodiments, the numberof DAS is rounded to the nearest integer to give the final number of thedegree of severity. A person of ordinary skill in the art wouldunderstand that the algorithm described in the current disclosure isonly for illustration purpose and a different algorithm can be chosen ordefined as needed.

In some embodiments, the jurisdiction officer and/or the systemadministrator refers to the report of the detection of the contrabanddevices with or without a DOS before taking further actions in fightingthe contraband device usage. Such actions include, but are not limitedto, extending the detection period, locating the detected contrabanddevices physically, instructing the detection and control system 110 totake disruption actions, and deciding whether to install a fixeddetection system inside the correctional facility.

In some embodiments, the detection and control system 110 is alsoconfigured to actively disrupt the operation of the detected contrabanddevice 130 in a “control mode”. A number of methods can be used by thedetection and control system 110 to disrupt the operation of contrabanddevice 130 in the control mode. In one embodiment, the detection andcontrol system 110 transmits a wideband jamming signal to the contrabanddevice 130 to block the contraband device 130 from successfullycommunicating with the communication center 150. In one embodiment, thedetection and control system 110 transmits a managed access request tothe contraband device 130 and force the contraband device 130 to connectwith the detection and control system 110. Upon a successful setup of amanaged access with the contraband device 130, the detection and controlsystem 110 is able to manage the contraband device 130 and applies usagerules determined by the jurisdiction offices. In one embodiment, thedetection and control system 110 listens and records the communicationtransmitted to and from the contraband device 130. Such communicationcan include, but is not limited to, phone calls, emails, voice messagesand text messages.

In some embodiments, the detection and control system 110 is fullyenclosed in a transportable casing so that the system is portable. Insome embodiments, the detection and control system 110 is carried aroundby human hand-holding. In some other embodiments, the detection andcontrol system 110 can also be mounted on powered vehicles with orwithout human control. In yet some other embodiments, the detection andcontrol system 110 can be mounted on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

In some embodiments, the detection and control system 110 is placed atlocation A outside the correctional facility 104 for the duration of adetection. In some embodiments, the location A is a location between thecorrectional facility and the communication center 150. In some otherembodiments, the detection and control system 110 moves around from onelocation to another location for the duration of a detection. Thedetection and control system 110 collects detection information frommultiple locations to improve the accuracy of the detection and cover alarger area of the correctional facility. In some embodiments, thelocation information of the detected contraband devices collected atmultiple locations by the detection and control system 110 is analyzedusing positioning technologies, such as triangulation, to improve theaccuracy of the location of the detected contraband devices. In yet someother embodiments, the detection and control system 110 is moved to alocation closer to the contraband device to improve the accuracy of thedetection, and/or improve the efficiency for the disruption.

In some embodiments, the detection and control scheme 100 furthercomprises a detection and control system 120. In some embodiments, thedetection and control system 120 is configured the same way as thedetection and control system 110. Referring to FIG. 1, the detection andcontrol system 120 is placed at location B outside the correctionalfacility 140. Location B is remote to location A. In some otherembodiments, the detection and control scheme comprises more detectionand control systems than the detection and control systems 110 and 120.

In some embodiments, the detection and control system 120 is configuredto detect the contraband devices (e.g. the contraband device 130) withinthe correctional facility 140 independently from the detection andcontrol system 110. In some other embodiments, the detection and controlsystems 110 and 120 communicate with each other before, during, and/orafter the detection to share the detection information of each detectedcontraband device. In yet some other embodiments, there are moredetection and control systems than systems 110 and 120. The sharing ofdetection information between multiple detection and control systems canbe used for a variety of applications including, but not limited to,confirming detection events when more than one detection and controlsystems detect the same contraband device, locating the contrabanddevice when location information for the contraband device are obtainedfrom more than one detection and control system and used for laterationor angulation, and enhancing detection coverage when different detectionand control systems are located in different locations around thecorrection facility.

In some embodiments, the detection and control systems 110 and 120communicate with each other to disrupt the communication of the detectedcontraband devices (e.g. the contraband device 130). In one embodiment,the detection and control systems 110 and 120 located in differentlocations (i.e. location A and location B) send out jamming signals tothe same detected contraband device and boost the strength of thejamming signals, therefore enhancing the disruption efficiency.

Referring to FIG. 1, in some embodiments, the detection and controlscheme 100 further comprises a detachable detection and control unit180. In some embodiments, the detachable detection and control unit 180is part of the detection and control system 110 and is detachable fromthe casing of the detection and control system 110. The detachabledetection and control unit 180 is configured to communicate with thedetection and control system 110 wirelessly using technologiesincluding, but not limited to, Bluetooth, WIFI, and radio frequencycommunication technologies. The detachable detection and control unit180 is further configured to detect the transmission of signals from thecontraband device 130. The detachable and control detection unit 180 isable to detect signals using technologies such as, but not limited to,GSM, 2G-5G technologies, WCDMA, CDMA, TDMA, UMTS, WIMAX, WIFI, IBEACON,Bluetooth, LTE, 700 MHz to 2200 MHz or other frequency bandcommunication technologies.

In some embodiments, the detachable and control detection unit 180 isplaced at location C outside the correctional facility 140 and locationC is remote to location A. The detachable and control detection unit 180detects transmission signals from the contraband device 130 andcommunicates the detection information of the detected contraband devicewith the detection and control system 110. The communication of databetween the detachable detection and control unit 180 and the detectionand control system 110 can be used for a variety of applicationsincluding, but not limited to: confirming detection events when both thedetection and control system 110 and the detachable detection andcontrol unit 180 detect the same contraband device; locating thecontraband device when the contraband device location information fromboth the detection and control system 110 and the detachable detectionand control unit 180 are used for positioning; and enhancing thedetection coverage when the detachable detection and control unit 180 isplaced at a different location than the detection and control system 110around the correction facility 140.

In some embodiments, the detection and control systems 110 and thedetachable detection and control unit 180 communicate with each other todisrupt the communication of the detected contraband devices (e.g. thecontraband device 130). In one embodiment, the detection and controlsystem 110 and the detachable detection and control unit 180 are locatedin different locations (i.e. location A and location C). Both thedetection and control system 110 and the detachable detection andcontrol unit 180 send out jamming signals to the same detectedcontraband device, which boosts the strength of the jamming signalsreceived by the detected contraband device, therefore enhancing thedisruption efficiency.

Referring to FIG. 1, in some embodiments, the correctional facility 140further comprises a facility control center 160. In some embodiments,the facility control center 160 is configured to communicate with thedetection and control system 130 wirelessly to receive the updateddetection information of the detected contraband devices. In someembodiments, whenever the detection and control system 130 detects acontraband device usage, the detection and control system 130 sends analert to the facility control center 160 and notify the facilityadministrators of the detection event. The alert includes informationsuch as, but not limited to, the date/time of the detection event, thelocation of the detected contraband device, and other information of thedetected contraband devices. In some embodiments, the facility controlcenter 160 is configured to take instructions from the facilityadministrators and transmit the instructions to the detection andcontrol system 130. Such instructions include, but are not limited to,initiate the control mode of the detection and control system 130 todisrupt the detected contraband devices, extend the detection period,relocate to the next target location for detection/disruption, pause thedetection, generate a report of the detection, and terminate thedetection.

In some embodiments, the correctional facility 140 further comprises afacility mobile device 170. The facility mobile device 170 can becarried around by the jurisdiction officers in the facility. In someembodiments, the facility mobile device 170 is configured to communicatewith the facility control center 160. The communication between thefacility control center 160 and the facility mobile device 170 includes,but is not limited to, voice messages, text messages, phone calls,emails, and video calls. In some embodiments, the facility mobile device170 is configured to receive alerts from the facility control center 160whenever a detection event occurs. The alerts include information suchas, but not limited to, the date/time of the detection event, thelocation of the detected contraband device, and other information of thedetected contraband devices. The facility mobile device 170 is alsoconfigured to receive instructions from the facility control center 160,such as, but not limited, conducting a physical search at a targetlocation, patrolling a target region, and isolating a certain area ofthe facility. The facility mobile device 170 is further configured tosend instructions or requests to the facility control center 160, suchas, but not limited to, continuing detection of the contraband device,sending updated location of the detected contraband devices, initiatingthe disruption of the contraband devices, and improving the locationaccuracy to narrow down the search area. In some embodiments, thefacility mobile device 170 is further configured to directly communicatewith the detection and control system 110 to obtain information and sendout instructions.

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary detection and controlsystem 200, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Thedetection and control system 200 is an exemplary embodiment of thedetection and control system 110 and the detection and control system120 in FIG. 1. The detection and control system comprises a memory 201,an application server 202, a communication interface 203, a power unit204, a plurality of input means 205, a plurality of output means 206, aplurality of sensors 207, and an antenna unit 208.

In some embodiments, the memory 201 stores the information andinstructions necessary for the operations of the detection and controlsystem 200. The information stored in memory 201 includes, but is notlimited to, the detection event information for each detection event,the information extracted from the contraband devices in each detectionevent, the transmitted data intercepted by the communication interface203 from the detected contraband devices, the reports generated by thedetection and control system 200 for the detection of the contrabanddevices in a given period of time, the instructions received for theapplication server 202, the instructions generated by the applicationserver 202, the data to be transmitted and the data received by thecommunication interface 203, the data received by the plurality of inputmeans 205, and the data to be output by the plurality of output means206.

In some embodiments, the application server 202 is the main processingunit for the detection and control system 200. The application server202 is configured to execute a variety of tasks, such as, but notlimited to, instructing the communication interface 203 to detect thecontraband devices, generating detection event information whenever adetection event occurs (e.g. a contraband device is detected),instructing the communication interface to intercept transmitted datafrom the detected contraband device (e.g. contraband device 130),analyzing the transmitted data intercepted from the detected contrabanddevice to extract the hardware information, data usage information, andlocation information of the detected contraband devices, recording theintercepted data from the detected contraband device in the memory 201,recording the detection event information and the information extractedfrom the detected contraband devices in the memory 201, performingpositioning actions using positioning techniques to locate thecontraband devices, generating instructions to perform disruptionactions to disrupt the detected contraband devices, analyzing all thedetection information (e.g. detection event information, hardwareinformation, location information, data usage information, etc.) storedin the memory 201 to generate a report of the detection of thecontraband devices, and executing instructions received from theplurality of input means 206. In some embodiments, the applicationserver 202 is further configured to generate alerts for the facilitycontrol center 160 and/or the facility mobile device 170, generatelocation information of the detection and control system 200, andexecute instructions received from the facility control center 160, thefacility mobile device 170, and/or other detection and control systemcommunicating with the detection and control system 200.

In some embodiments, the communication interface 203 includes one ormore transceivers, transmitters, and/or receivers that communicate viathe antenna unit 208. The communication interface 203 is configured todetect transmissions by the contraband device 130. Detection of thecontraband device 130 transmissions includes reception of a transmissionsignal from an unauthorized communication via the antenna unit 208. Forexample, to detect an unauthorized communication, a receiver of thecommunication interface 203 may cycle through different frequenciesbands and/or radio access technologies. In some embodiments, thecommunication interface 203 is further configured to output an RF signalduring disruption operations. For example, a transmitter of thecommunication interface 203 can be configured to transmit aninterference signal based on the received unauthorized communication. Insome embodiments, the communication interface 203 is further configuredto communicate with another detection and control system 120, thedetachable detection and control unit 180, the facility control center160, and the facility mobile device 170 to provide or receiveinformation and/or instructions.

In some embodiments, the antenna unit 208 includes one or more antennas.The antenna unit 208 can include a distributed antenna system (DAS), inwhich a number of antenna elements are spaced apart from each other. Theusage of a DAS can increase the detection accuracy and reliability bydetecting the same area with multiple units that are spaced apart. Theantenna unit 208 can also include one or more directional antennas whichradiate or receive greater power in specific directions allowing forincreased performance and reduced interference from unwanted sources.The usage of directional antennas can direct the detection anddisruption to the target area (e.g. the correctional facility 140)without detecting or interfering unwanted areas (e.g. public areas).

In some embodiments, the power unit 204 provides power to the detectionand control system 200 for its operations. In one embodiment, the powerunit 204 is an A/C power adapter that directly connects to A/C poweroutlets outside the correctional facility 140. In another embodiment,the power unit 204 includes a battery that can be charged. In anotherembodiment, the power unit 204 includes a power generator that generatespower from a number of sources such as, but not limited to, propane,diesel, gas, and solar energy. In yet another embodiment, the power unit204 is a wireless charging adapter that receives power remotely from acharging base station.

In some embodiments, the plurality of input means include differentinput interfaces for the detection and control system 200 including, butnot limited to, a keyboard, a touch screen, a microphone, and a camera.In some embodiments, the administrator of the detection and controlsystem 200 can input information and/or instructions to the detectionand control system 200 to complete specific tasks.

In some embodiments, the plurality of output means include differentoutput interfaces for the detection and control system 200 including,but not limited to, a display for video, photo, and text output, and aloudspeaker for sound output.

In some embodiments, the plurality of sensors 207 include a biometricsensor and a position and motion sensor. The biometric sensor can be afingerprint sensor that validates the identity of the user beforegranting the user an access to the detection and control system 110. Inone embodiment, the biometric sensor communicates with the applicationserver 202 and the memory 201 to verify the identity of the user. Thebiometric sensor obtains the biometric information of a requesting user,and sends the data to the application server 202. The application server202 receives the biometric data from the biometric sensor 207, andcompare the data from the biometric information database of all theauthorized users stored in memory 201. If the biometric data from therequesting user matches one of the authorized users' biometric data, theapplication server grants access to the requesting user.

In some embodiments, the position and motion sensor includes devicessuch as, but not limited to, Global Positioning System (GPS) devices,indoor positioning systems (IPS) devices, accelerometers, and/orgyroscopes to determine position and motion. The position and motiondata obtained by the position and motion sensor 207 for the detectionand control system is sent to the application server 202 as part of thedetection information for a detection event. The position and motiondata is further used by the application server during the positioningprocess (e.g. triangulation) for the current location of the contrabanddevice 130.

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary detection and controlsystem 300, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Thedetection and control system 300 is another exemplary embodiment of thedetection and control system 110 and the detection and control system120 in FIG. 1. The detection and control system includes a detection andcontrol unit 310 and a mobility unit 320. In some embodiments, thedetection and control unit 310 further includes a memory 311, anapplication server 312, a communication interface 313, a power unit 314,a plurality of input means 315, a plurality of output means 316, aplurality of sensors 317, and an antenna unit 318.

In some embodiments, the memory 311 stores the information andinstructions necessary for the operations of the detection and controlsystem 300. The information stored in memory 311 includes, but is notlimited to, the detection event information for each detection event,the information extracted from the contraband devices in each detectionevent, the transmitted data intercepted by the communication interface313 from the detected contraband devices, the reports generated by thedetection and control system 300 for the detection of the contrabanddevices in a given period of time, the instructions received for theapplication server 312, the instructions generated by the applicationserver 312, the data to be transmitted and the data received by thecommunication interface 313, the data received by the plurality of inputmeans 315, and the data to be output by the plurality of output means316.

In some embodiments, the application server 312 is the main processingunit for the detection and control system 300. The application server312 is configured to execute a variety of tasks, such as, but notlimited to, instructing the communication interface 313 to detect thecontraband devices, generating detection event information whenever adetection event occurs (e.g. a contraband device is detected),instructing the communication interface to intercept transmitted datafrom the detected contraband device (e.g. contraband device 130),analyzing the transmitted data intercepted from the detected contrabanddevice to extract the hardware information, data usage information, andlocation information of the detected contraband devices, recording theintercepted data from the detected contraband device in the memory 311,recording the detection event information and the information extractedfrom the detected contraband devices in the memory 311, performingpositioning actions using positioning techniques to locate thecontraband devices, generating instructions to perform disruptionactions for the detected contraband devices, analyzing all the detectioninformation (e.g. detection event information, hardware information,location information, data usage information, etc.) stored in the memory311 to generate a report of the detection of the contraband devices, andexecuting instructions received from the plurality of input means 206.In some embodiments, the application server 312 is further configured togenerate alerts for the facility control center 160 and/or the facilitymobile device 170, generate location information of the detection andcontrol system 300, and execute instructions received from the facilitycontrol center 160, the facility mobile device 170, and/or otherdetection and control system communicating with the detection andcontrol system 300.

In some embodiments, the communication interface 313 includes one ormore transceivers, transmitters, and/or receivers that communicate viathe antenna unit 318. The communication interface 313 is configured todetect transmissions by the contraband device 130. Detection of thecontraband device 130 transmissions includes reception of a transmissionsignal of an unauthorized communication via the antenna unit 318. Forexample, to detect an unauthorized communication, a receiver of thecommunication interface 313 may cycle through different frequenciesbands and/or radio access technologies. The communication interface 313is further configured to output an RF signal during disruptionoperations. For example, a transmitter of the communication interface313 can be configured to transmit an interference signal based on thereceived unauthorized communication. In some embodiments, thecommunication interface 313 is further configured to communicate withanother detection and control system 120, the detachable detection andcontrol unit 180, the facility control center 160, and the facilitymobile device 170 to provide or receive information and/or instructions.

In some embodiments, the antenna unit 318 includes one or more antennas.In one embodiment, the antenna unit 318 is a distributed antenna system(DAS), in which a number of antenna elements are spaced apart from eachother. The usage of a DAS can increase the detection accuracy andreliability by detecting the same area with multiple units that arespaced apart. In another embodiment, the antenna unit 318 can be one ormore directional antennas which radiate or receive greater power inspecific directions allowing for increased performance and reducedinterference from unwanted sources. The usage of directional antennascan direct the detection and disruption to the target area (e.g. thecorrectional facility 140) without detecting or interfering unwantedareas (e.g. public areas). In some embodiments, a part or all of theantenna unit 318 can be located on the mobility unit 320.

In some embodiments, the power unit 314 provides power to the detectionand control system 300 for its operations. In one embodiment, the powerunit 314 is an A/C power adapter that directly connects to A/C poweroutlets outside the correctional facility 140. In another embodiment,the power unit 314 includes a battery that can be charged. In anotherembodiment, the power unit 314 includes a power generator that generatespower from a number of sources such as, but not limited to, propane,diesel, gas, and solar energy. In yet another embodiment, the power unit314 is a wireless charging adapter that receives power remotely from acharging base station. In a further embodiment, the power unit 314receives the power from the mobility unit 320. In a further embodiment,the mobility unit 320 directly provides power for the operation of thedetection and control system 300, and the power unit 314 is notnecessary.

In some embodiments, the plurality of input means include differentinput interfaces for the detection and control system 300 including, butnot limited to, a keyboard, a touch screen, a microphone, and a camera.In some embodiments, the administrator of the detection and controlsystem 300 can input information and/or instructions to the detectionand control system 300 to complete specific tasks.

In some embodiments, the plurality of output means include differentoutput interfaces for the detection and control system 300 including,but not limited to, a display for video, photo, and text output, and aloudspeaker for sound output.

In some embodiments, the plurality of sensors 317 include a biometricsensor and a position and motion sensor. The biometric sensor can be afingerprint sensor that validates the identity of the user beforegranting the user an access to the detection and control system 110. Inone embodiment, the biometric sensor communicates with the applicationserver 312 and the memory 311 to verify the identity of the user. Thebiometric sensor obtains the biometric information of a requesting user,and sends the data to the application server 312. The application server312 receives the biometric data from the biometric sensor 317, andcompare the data from the biometric information database of all theauthorized users stored in memory 311. If the biometric data from therequesting user matches one of the authorized users' biometric data, theapplication server grants access to the requesting user.

In some embodiments, the position and motion sensor includes devicessuch as, but not limited to, Global Positioning System (GPS) devices,indoor positioning systems (IPS) devices, accelerometers, and/orgyroscopes to determine position and motion. The position and motiondata obtained by the position and motion sensor 317 for the detectionand control system is sent to the application server 312 as part of thedetection information for a detection event. The position and motiondata is further used by the application server during the positioningprocess (e.g. triangulation) for the current location of the contrabanddevice 130.

In some embodiments, the mobility unit 320 is a manned vehicle, anunmanned vehicle, or a drone or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In someembodiments, the detection and control unit 310 is mounted on themobility unit 320. In some embodiments, the control unit 310 isdetachable from the mobility unit 320. In some other embodiments, a partof the detection and control unit 310 can be mounted on the mobilityunit 320.

In some embodiments, the mobility unit 320 provide power to thedetection and control unit 310 through wired electrical connection orwireless charging technology.

In some embodiments, the mobility unit 320 is a self-driving vehiclewith its own processing unit, input/output means, communicationinterface, sensors, and memory unit. The mobility unit 320 can beconfigured to communicate with the detection and control unit 310 andtransmit/receive information including, but not limited to, location ofthe mobility unit 320 and/or the detection and control unit 310,detection information of all the detection events, target location fordetection and disruption, instructions for the mobility unit 320 to moveto the target location, and instructions for the operations of thedetection and control unit 310. In some embodiments, the mobility unit320 works with the detection and control unit 310 in accordance todetect contraband devices, locate contraband devices from conductingdetection at different locations, move to the detected contrabanddevices, and disrupt the operation of the detected contraband devices.In some embodiments, the operation of the detection and control system300 is fully automated.

FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary application server400, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Theapplication server 400 is an exemplary embodiment of the applicationserver 202 in FIG. 2 and the application server 312 in FIG. 3.

Application server 400 consists of any number of servers, and functionsas the primary logic processing center in the detection and controlsystem 200 and the detection and control system 300. Application server400 is configured to execute a variety of tasks, such as, but notlimited to, initiating and coordinating the detection of the contrabanddevices, analyzing the data received from the detected contrabanddevices to obtain the information of the detected contraband devices,recording information into and fetching information from the memory ofthe detection and control system, performing positioning actions usingpositioning techniques to locate the contraband devices, generatinginstructions to perform disruption actions for the detected contrabanddevices, analyzing the detection information stored in the memory of thedetection and control system, generating a report of the detection ofthe contraband devices, and executing instructions received fromdifferent sources. In some embodiments, the application server 400 isfurther configured to generate alerts for the facility control center160 and/or the facility mobile device 170, generate location informationof the detection and control system, and execute instructions receivedfrom the facility control center 160, the facility mobile device 170,and/or other detection and control system communicating with thedetection and control system.

Application server 400 includes one or more central processing units(CPU) 410 connected via a bus 401 to several other components. One ofsuch components can be an internal data storage 420. This data storage420 is non-volatile storage, such as one or more magnetic hard diskdrives (HDDs) and/or one or more solid state drives (SSDs). Data storage420 is used to store a variety of important files, documents, or otherdigital information, such as operating system files, application files,and/or temporary recording space.

Application server 400 also includes system memory 430. System memory430 is preferably faster and more efficient than Data storage 420, andis configured as random access memory (RAM) in an embodiment. Systemmemory 430 contains the runtime environment of application server 400,storing temporary data for any of operating system 432, java virtualmachine 434, java application server 436, and detection and monitoringcontrol logic 438.

In some embodiments, referring to FIG. 4, the application server 400 canhave its own input and output methods. For example, the input method canbe a keyboard and/or mouse 440, and the output method can be a monitor442.

FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary detachable detectionand control unit 500, according to some embodiments of the presentdisclosure. The detachable detection and control unit 500 is anexemplary embodiment of the detachable detection and control unit 180 inFIG. 1. In some embodiments, the detachable detection and control unit500 is part of the detection and control system 110 and is detachablefrom the casing of the detection and control system. The detachabledetection and control unit 500 is configured to communicate with thedetection and control system 110 wirelessly using technologiesincluding, but not limited to, Bluetooth, WIFI, and radio frequencycommunication technologies. The detachable detection and control unit500 is further configured to detect the transmission of signals from thecontraband devices (e.g. contraband device 130). The detachabledetection and control unit 500 is able to detect signals usingtechnologies such as, but not limited to, GSM, 2G-5G technologies,WCDMA, CDMA, TDMA, UMTS, WIMAX, WIFI, IBEACON, Bluetooth, LTE, 700 MHzto 2200 MHz or other frequency band communication technologies. Thedetachable detection and control unit 500 is further configured toperform disruption actions to the detected contraband devices uponreceiving instructions from the application server 400, according tosome embodiments.

In some embodiments, the detachable detection and control unit 500includes a communication interface 502, a plurality of sensors 503, andan antenna unit 506. In some embodiments, the detachable detection andcontrol unit 500 further includes a memory 501 and a power unit 504. Insome embodiments, the detachable detection and control unit 500 furtherincludes a mobility unit 505.

The communication interface 502 includes one or more transceivers,transmitters, and/or receivers that communicate via the antenna unit506. The communication interface 502 is configured to detecttransmissions by the contraband device 130. Detection of the contrabanddevice 130 transmissions includes reception of a transmission signal ofan unauthorized communication via the antenna unit 506. For example, todetect an unauthorized communication, a receiver of the communicationinterface 502 may cycle through different frequencies bands and/or radioaccess technologies. In some embodiments, the communication interface502 is further configured to output an RF signal during disruptionoperations. For example, a transmitter of the communication interface502 can be configured to transmit an interference signal based on thereceived unauthorized communication. The communication interface 502 isfurther configured to communicate with the detection and control system110 to transmit information and/or instructions.

In some embodiments, the antenna unit 506 includes one or more antennas.In one embodiment, the antenna unit 506 is a distributed antenna system(DAS), in which a number of antenna elements are spaced apart from eachother. The usage of a DAS can increase the detection accuracy andreliability by detecting the same area with multiple units that arespaced apart. In another embodiment, the antenna unit 506 includes oneor more directional antennas which radiate or receive greater power inspecific directions allowing for increased performance and reducedinterference from unwanted sources. The usage of directional antennascan direct the detection and disruption to the target area (e.g. thecorrectional facility 140) without detecting or interfering unwantedareas (e.g. public areas).

In some embodiments, the plurality of sensors 503 include a position andmotion sensor. The position and motion sensor includes devices such as,but not limited to, Global Positioning System (GPS) devices, indoorpositioning systems (IPS) devices, accelerometers, and/or gyroscopes todetermine position and motion. The position and motion data obtained bythe position and motion sensor 503 for the detachable detection andcontrol unit 500 is sent to the application server 400 as part of thedetection information for a detection event. The position and motiondata is further used by the application server 400 during thepositioning process (e.g. triangulation) for the current location of thedetected contraband device 130.

In some embodiments, the power unit 504 provides power to the detachabledetection and control unit 500 for its operations. In one embodiment,the power unit 504 is an A/C power adapter that directly connects to A/Cpower outlets outside the correctional facility 140. In anotherembodiment, the power unit 504 includes a battery that can be charged.In another embodiment, the power unit 504 is a wireless charging adapterthat receives power remotely from a charging base station. In a furtherembodiment, the power unit 504 receives the power from the mobility unit505. In a further embodiment, the mobility unit 505 directly providespower for the operation of the detachable detection and control unit500, and the power unit 504 is not necessary.

In some embodiments, the mobility unit 505 is a self-driving vehicle oran unmanned aerial vehicle with its own processing unit, input/outputmeans, communication interface, sensors, and memory unit. The mobilityunit 505 can be configured to communicate with the detection and controlunit 310 and transmit information including, but not limited to,location of the mobility unit 505 and/or the detachable detection andcontrol unit 500, detection information of all the detection events,target location for detection and disruption, instructions for themobility unit 505 to move to the target location, and instructions forthe operations of the detachable detection and control unit 500. In someembodiments, the mobility unit 505 cooperates with the detection andcontrol unit 310 or the detection and control system 200 to detectcontraband devices, locate contraband devices from conducting detectionat different locations, move to the detected contraband devices, anddisrupt the operation of the detected contraband devices.

FIG. 6 illustrates a flow chart for an exemplary method 600 to operatethe detection and control system 110, according to some embodiments. Atstep 602, the detection and control system 110 is placed at a firstlocation outside the correctional facility 140. Referring to FIG. 1, insome embodiments, the first location (e.g. Location A) is between thecorrectional facility 140 and a nearby communication center 150. Such alocation set up is favorable in detecting the signal transmissionbetween the contraband device (e.g. contraband device 130) and thecorrectional facility, because the detection and control system 110 islocated close to the signal transmission pathway between the contrabanddevice 130 and the communication center 150.

At step 604, the detection and control system 110 detects communicationsignals from the contraband devices in the correctional facility. Insome embodiments, the detection is done by the communication interfaceand the antenna unit of the detection and control system. In someembodiments, the antenna unit is a DAS system to improve the detectionaccuracy and reliability. In some other embodiments, the antenna unitincludes one or more directional antennas directed to the correctionalfacility 140 to avoid detecting unwanted areas. When searching for acontraband device, the detection and control system 110 enables areceiver to receive transmissions from contraband devices. The detectionand control system 110 may focus on specific types of transmissions suchas GSM, CDMA, LTE, or other cellular transmissions and/or may rotatethrough a variety of frequencies and transmission types including, forexample, cellular transmissions and WIFI signals of a specific type.

At step 606, the detection and control system 110 conducts the detectionuntil a contraband device is detected, or when a pre-determined timeperiod for detection ends. If a contraband device is not detected withinthe pre-determined time period, the system operation jumps to step 618to determine if the operation needs to continue. If a contraband deviceis detected, the system proceeds to step 608.

At step 608, the detection and control system 110 perform actions toextract information of the detected contraband device (e.g. contrabanddevice 130). The information of the contraband device 130 to beextracted includes, but is not limited to, hardware information, datausage information, and location information of the contraband device 130when the contraband device is detected. In some embodiments, thehardware information further includes a hardware identification numberof the contraband device 130 (e.g. an international mobile subscriberidentity number (IMSI), an electronic serial number (ESN), a mobiledevice ID, etc.), a phone number of the contraband device, and a phonenumber that is communicating with the contraband device. In someembodiments, the data usage information includes the duration of datatransmission conducted by the contraband device and the volume of thedata transmitted by the contraband devices. In some embodiments, thedetection and control system 110 utilizes one or more positioningtechniques (e.g. lateration and angulation) to obtain the location ofthe detected contraband devices. In some embodiments, at step 608, thedetection and control system 110 further intercepts the communicationtransmitted from and to the detected contraband device. In someembodiments, the detection and control system 110 sends an alert to thefacility control center 160 to inform the correctional facility 140 ofthe detection event. In some embodiments, the detection and controlsystem 110 further generates detection event information for thedetected contraband device. Such detection event information includes,but is not limited to, the date/time when the contraband device wasdetected, the duration of the contraband device being detected, and thelocation of the detection and control system 110 when the contrabanddevice was detected.

At step 610, the detection and control system 110 records the extractedinformation for the detected contraband device at step 608 to a memory.In addition to the information extracted at step 608, the detection andcontrol system 110 can also record information such as, but not limitedto, the date/time when the contraband device was detected, the durationof the contraband device being detected, and the location of thedetection and control system 110 when the contraband device wasdetected.

At step 612, the detection and control system 110 generates a report forall the detection events and all the detected contraband device during agiven period of time. In some embodiments, the report containsinformation such as, but not limited to the total number of contrabanddevice detection events, the total number of detected contrabanddevices, the total time of contraband device usage, the total volume ofthe data transmitted by the contraband devices, the location anddistribution of the contraband devices, and the time and frequency ofthe data transmission made by the contraband devices. In someembodiments, based on the extracted data from all the detectedcontraband devices and the detection event information for all thedetected devices, the detection and control system 110 generates adegree of severity in the report to give guidance to the facilityadministrators on the severity of the contraband device usage in thecorrectional facility.

At step 614, the detection and control system 110 listens for input orinstruction to activate control mode and perform disruption to thecontraband devices. If the disruption is needed, the detection andcontrol system 110 jumps to step 616. If no disruption is needed, thedetection and control system 110 jumps to step 618. In one embodiment,the input and/or instruction comes from the detection and control system110 administrator via one of the input method. In one embodiment, theinput and/or instruction comes from the facility administrator via thefacility control center 160, or from the facility officer via thefacility mobility device 170.

In some embodiments, at step 614, the detection and control system 110have pre-determined instructions to automatically activate control modeand perform disruption to the contraband devices. In these embodiment,the detection and control system 110 can automatically activate controlmode when the total number of detection events exceeds a pre-determinednumber, or the total number of detected contraband devices exceeds apre-determined number, or the total data transmitted by the contrabanddevices exceeds a pre-determined amount.

At step 618, the detection and control system 110 listens for input orinstruction on whether to continue the detection at the currentlocation. If continued detection is needed, the detection and controlsystem 110 jumps back to step 604 to continue the detection. Ifcontinued detection at current location is not needed, the detection andcontrol system 110 jumps to step 620. In one embodiment, the inputand/or instruction comes from the detection and control system 110administrator via one of the input method. In one embodiment, the inputand/or instruction comes from the facility administrator via thefacility control center 160, or from the facility officer via thefacility mobility device 170.

In some embodiments, at step 618, the detection and control system 110have pre-determined instructions to automatically determine whethercontinued detection is needed at the current step. In these embodiment,the detection and control system 110 can automatically continue thedetection when the total number of detection events exceeds apre-determined number, or the total number of detected contrabanddevices exceeds a pre-determined number, or the total data transmittedby the contraband devices exceeds a pre-determined amount. In theseembodiments, the detection and control system 110 can still listen forinput and/or instructions and alter its operations based on the inputand/or instructions.

At step 620, the detection and control system 110 listens for input orinstructions on whether to relocate to another location. If relocationis needed, the detection and control system 110 jumps to step 622. Ifrelocation is not needed, the detection and control system 110 jumps tostep 624. In one embodiment, the input and/or instruction comes from thedetection and control system 110 administrator via one of the inputmethod. In one embodiment, the input and/or instruction comes from thefacility administrator via the facility control center 160, or from thefacility officer via the facility mobility device 170. In someembodiments, at step 620, the detection and control system 110 havepre-determined instructions to automatically determine whether arelocation is needed.

At step 622, the detection and control system 110 is moved to the nextlocation for detection and disruption. In some embodiments, thedetection and control system 110 is carried to the next location byhuman, manned vehicles, unmanned vehicles, and/or unmanned aerialvehicles. After relocation, the detection and control system 110 canjump back to step 604 for more detection and/or disruption.

At step 624, the detection and control system 110 is in a standby orpower off state, waiting for input and/or instructions to wake up orpower on for operations. In one embodiment, the input and/or instructioncomes from the detection and control system 110 administrator via one ofthe input method. In one embodiment, the input and/or instruction comesfrom the facility administrator via the facility control center 160, orfrom the facility officer via the facility mobility device 170.

In some embodiments, at step 624, the detection and control system 110have pre-determined instructions to automatically wake up or power on.In one embodiment, the detection and control system 110 automaticallywakes up or powers on when a pre-determined standby or power off timeperiod ends.

FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart for an exemplary method 700 to operatethe detection and control system 110 for detecting and locatingcontraband devices, according to some embodiments.

At step 702, the detection and control system 110 is placed at a firstlocation outside the correctional facility 140. Referring to FIG. 1, insome embodiments, the first location (e.g. Location A) is between thecorrectional facility 140 and a nearby communication center 150. Such alocation set up is favorable in detecting the signal transmissionbetween the contraband device (e.g. contraband device 130) and thecorrectional facility, because the detection and control system 110 islocated close to the signal transmission pathway between the contrabanddevice 130 and the communication center 150.

At step 704, the detection and control system 110 detects communicationsignals from the contraband devices in the correctional facility. Insome embodiments, the detection is done by the communication interfaceand the antenna unit of the detection and control system. In someembodiments, the antenna unit is a DAS system to improve the detectionaccuracy and reliability. In some other embodiments, the antenna unitincludes one or more directional antennas directed to the correctionalfacility 140 to avoid detecting unwanted areas. When searching for acontraband device, the detection and control system 110 enables areceiver to receive transmissions. The detection and control system 110may focus on specific types of transmissions such as GSM, CDMA, LTE, orother cellular transmissions and/or may rotate through a variety offrequencies and transmission types including, for example, cellulartransmissions and WIFI signals of a specific type.

In some embodiments, at step 704, a detachable detection and controlunit 180 is detached from the detection and control system 110 andplaced to another location (e.g. location C) that is outside thecorrectional facility and remote to location A. This detachabledetection and control unit 180 can detect communication signals from thecontraband devices in the correctional facility. In some embodiments,the detection is done by the communication interface and the antennaunit of the detachable detection and control unit 180. In someembodiments, the detachable detection and control unit 180 communicateswith the detection and control system 110 and transmits informationand/or instructions.

At step 706, the detection and control system 110 conducts the detectionuntil a contraband device is detected, or when a pre-determined timeperiod for detection ends. If a contraband device is not detected withinthe pre-determined time period, the system operation jumps to step 724to determine if the operation needs to continue. If a contraband deviceis detected, the system proceeds to step 708.

At step 708, referring to FIG. 1, the detection and control system 110finds out whether another detection and control system (e.g. detectionand control system 120) is in operation for the correctional facility140. If another detection and control system is in operation, thedetection and control system 110 jumps to step 710. If another detectionand control system is not available or not in operation, the detectionand control system 110 jumps to step 712. In some embodiments, theadditional detection and control system 120 is located at a location Boutside the correctional facility 140 but remote to location A where thedetection and control system 110 is located.

At step 710, the detection and control system 110 communicates with theadditional detection and control system 120 to transmit informationand/or instructions. In some embodiments, such information includes, butis not limited to, the detection information for all detection events,the information obtained from all the detected contraband devices, thelocation and motion information for the detection and control system,and the reports generated during the detection period. In someembodiments, there are more detection and control systems than thedetection and control system 110 and 120. The sharing of detectioninformation between multiple detection and control systems can be usedfor a variety of applications including, but not limited to, confirmingdetection events when more than one detection and control systems detectthe same contraband device, locating the contraband device when locationinformation for the contraband device are obtained from more than onedetection and control system and used for lateration and/or angulation,and enhancing detection coverage when different detection and controlsystems are located in different locations around the correctionfacility.

At step 712, the detection and control system 110 estimates the locationof the detected contraband devices based on one or more positioningtechniques, such as, but not limited to, lateration and angulation.Depending on different factors such as, but not limited to, thedetection ability of the detection and control system 110, the relativedistance between the contraband device and the detection and controlsystem 110, and the positioning technique used to for locating thecontraband device, the estimated location of the contraband device canhave a certain degree of accuracy. Due to the different degrees ofaccuracy, the estimated location of the contraband device can be a bigregion that can be narrowed down.

At step 720, the detection and control system 110 determines whetherrelocation is needed. If a relocation is needed, the detection andcontrol system 110 jumps to step 714. If a relocation is not needed, thedetection and control system 110 jumps to step 724. In some embodiments,whether relocation is needed is determined by input and/or instructionsreceived by the detection and control system 110. In some embodiments,the input and/or instruction comes from the detection and control system110 administrator via one of the input method. In one embodiment, theinput and/or instruction comes from the facility administrator via thefacility control center 160, or from the facility officer via thefacility mobility device 170. In some embodiments, the detection andcontrol system 110 have pre-determined instructions to automaticallydetermine whether a relocation is needed.

At step 714, the detection and control system 110 determines the nextdesirable detection location or locations. In some embodiments, thedetermination of the next desirable detection location or locations isconducted automatically by the detection and control system 110 based onthe detection information of the contraband devices. The next desirabledetection location or locations can be determined based on a variety ofreasons such as, but not limited to, the need to improve the estimationaccuracy of the contraband device location, the need to improve thecoverage of detection within the correctional facility, and the need tofocus the detection on a certain area of the correctional facility. Insome embodiments, the next desirable locations can be input manuallyfrom the detection and control system 110 administrator via one of theinput method. In one embodiment, the next desirable locations can beinput manually from the facility administrator via the facility controlcenter 160, or from the facility officer via the facility mobilitydevice 170.

At step 716, the detection and control system 110 determines if one ormore detachable detection and control unit 180 is available or inoperation. If there are one or more detachable detection and controlunit 180 available or in operation, the detection and control system 110jumps to step 722. If there is no detachable detection and control unit180 available or in operation, the detection and control system 110jumps to step 718.

At step 722, the detachable detection and control unit 180 is moved tothe next desirable locations for the detachable detection and controlunit 180 determined at step 714. In some embodiments, the detachabledetection and control unit 180 is moved by human, manned vehicles,unmanned vehicles, and/or UAV. In some embodiments, the detachabledetection and control unit 180 is moved by its own mobility unit. Insome embodiments, the mobility unit of the detachable detection andcontrol unit 180 has an autonomous mobility unit (e.g. an autonomouscar, a drone or an UAV) that receives instructions directly from thedetection and control system 110 and move to the next desirablelocation. Advantages of having a drone or an UAV to move the detachabledetection and control unit 180 include, but are not limited to, thedegree of freedom in the whole space and the speed of movement for fastresponse.

At step 718, the detection and control system 110 is moved to the nextdesirable location. In some embodiments, the detection and controlsystem 110 is moved by human, manned vehicles, unmanned vehicles, and/orUAVs. In some embodiments, the detection and control system 110 is movedby its own mobility unit. In some embodiments, the detection and controlsystem 110 has an autonomous mobility unit (e.g. an autonomous car, adrone or an UAV) that receives instructions directly from the detectionand control system 110 and move the detection and control system 110 tothe next desirable location. The advantages of having an autonomousmoving vehicle as the mobility unit includes, but not limited to, thespeed of movement for fast response and the fully automatic processwithout requiring human intervention.

At step 724, the detection and control system 110 determines whether tocontinue the operation. If the operation needs to continue, thedetection and control system 110 jumps back to step 704 to continuedetecting the contraband devices. If the operation does not need tocontinue, the detection and control system jumps to step 726. In someembodiments, whether the operation needs to continue is determined byinput and/or instructions received by the detection and control system110. In some embodiments, the input and/or instruction comes from thedetection and control system 110 administrator via one of the inputmethod. In one embodiment, the input and/or instruction comes from thefacility administrator via the facility control center 160, or from thefacility officer via the facility mobility device 170. In someembodiments, the detection and control system 110 have pre-determinedinstructions to automatically determine whether a continued operation isneeded.

It will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art(s) thatvarious elements and features of the present disclosure, as describedherein, can be implemented in hardware using analog and/or digitalcircuits, in software, through the execution of computer instructions byone or more general purpose or special-purpose processors, or as acombination of hardware and software.

The following description of a general purpose computer system isprovided for the sake of completeness. Embodiments of the presentdisclosure can be implemented in hardware, or as a combination ofsoftware and hardware. Consequently, embodiments of the disclosure areimplemented in the environment of a computer system or other processingsystem. For example, the detection and control system 200, the detectionand control system 300, the application server 400, and the methodsdescribed in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 can be implemented in the environment ofone or more computer systems or other processing systems. An example ofsuch a computer system 800 is shown in FIG. 8. One or more of themodules depicted in the previous figures can be at least partiallyimplemented on one or more distinct computer systems 800.

Computer system 800 includes one or more processors, such as processor804. Processor 804 can be a special purpose or a general purpose digitalsignal processor. Processor 804 is connected to a communicationinfrastructure 802 (for example, a bus or network). Various softwareimplementations are described in terms of this exemplary computersystem. After reading this description, it will become apparent to aperson skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement the disclosureusing other computer systems and/or computer architectures.

Computer system 800 also includes a main memory 806, preferably randomaccess memory (RAM), and may also include a secondary memory 808.Secondary memory 808 may include, for example, a hard disk drive 810and/or a removable storage drive 812, representing a floppy disk drive,a magnetic tape drive, an optical disk drive, or the like. Removablestorage drive 812 reads from and/or writes to a removable storage unit816 in a well-known manner. Removable storage unit 816 represents afloppy disk, magnetic tape, optical disk, or the like, which is read byand written to by removable storage drive 812. As will be appreciated bypersons skilled in the relevant art(s), removable storage unit 816includes a computer usable storage medium having stored therein computersoftware and/or data.

In alternative implementations, secondary memory 808 may include othersimilar means for allowing computer programs or other instructions to beloaded into computer system 800. Such means may include, for example, aremovable storage unit 818 and an interface 814. Examples of such meansmay include a program cartridge and cartridge interface (such as thatfound in video game devices), a removable memory chip (such as an EPROM,or PROM) and associated socket, a thumb drive and USB port, and otherremovable storage units 818 and interfaces 814 which allow software anddata to be transferred from removable storage unit 818 to computersystem 800.

Computer system 800 may also include a communications interface 820.Communications interface 820 allows software and data to be transferredbetween computer system 800 and external devices. Examples ofcommunications interface 820 may include a modem, a network interface(such as an Ethernet card), a communications port, a PCMCIA slot andcard, etc. Software and data transferred via communications interface820 are in the form of signals which may be electronic, electromagnetic,optical, or other signals capable of being received by communicationsinterface 820. These signals are provided to communications interface820 via a communications path 822. Communications path 822 carriessignals and may be implemented using wire or cable, fiber optics, aphone line, a cellular phone link, an RF link and other communicationschannels.

As used herein, the terms “computer program medium” and “computerreadable medium” are used to generally refer to tangible storage mediasuch as removable storage units 816 and 818 or a hard disk installed inhard disk drive 810. These computer program products are means forproviding software to computer system 800.

Computer programs (also called computer control logic) are stored inmain memory 806 and/or secondary memory 808. Computer programs may alsobe received via communications interface 820. Such computer programs,when executed, enable the computer system 800 to implement the presentdisclosure as discussed herein. In particular, the computer programs,when executed, enable processor 804 to implement the processes of thepresent disclosure, such as any of the methods described herein.Accordingly, such computer programs represent controllers of thecomputer system 800. Where the disclosure is implemented using software,the software may be stored in a computer program product and loaded intocomputer system 800 using removable storage drive 812, interface 814, orcommunications interface 820.

In another embodiment, features of the disclosure are implementedprimarily in hardware using, for example, hardware components such asapplication-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and gate arrays.Implementation of a hardware state machine so as to perform thefunctions described herein will also be apparent to persons skilled inthe relevant art(s).

It is to be appreciated that the Detailed Description section, and notthe Abstract section, is intended to be used to interpret the claims.The Abstract section may set forth one or more, but not all exemplaryembodiments, and thus, is not intended to limit the disclosure and theappended claims in any way.

The disclosure has been described above with the aid of functionalbuilding blocks illustrating the implementation of specified functionsand relationships thereof. The boundaries of these functional buildingblocks have been arbitrarily defined herein for the convenience of thedescription. Alternate boundaries may be defined so long as thespecified functions and relationships thereof are appropriatelyperformed.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art(s) that variouschanges in form and detail can be made therein without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the disclosure. Thus, the disclosure should notbe limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, butshould be defined only in accordance with the following claims and theirequivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable detection device for detectingcontraband devices in a controlled-environment facility, the devicecomprising: a radio transceiver configured to conduct a first contrabanddevice scan of a first scan area at a first location, and to conduct asecond contraband device scan of a second scan area at a secondlocation, wherein the first contraband device scan detects a presence oran absence of a contraband wireless communication device within thefirst scan area, and wherein the second contraband device scan detects apresence or an absence of a contraband wireless communication devicewithin the second scan area; one or more processors and/or circuitsconfigured to: receive scan results of the first scan and the secondscan; analyze the scan results to determine a number of contrabanddevices detected by the first and second scans; and generate a threatscore based on the analysis.
 2. The portable detection device of claim1, wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits are furtherconfigured to receive the first location and the second location.
 3. Theportable detection device of claim 2, further comprising a memory thatstores the first location and the second location, stores the scanresults of the first scan in association with the first location, andstores the scan results of the second scan in association with thesecond location.
 4. The portable detection device of claim 3, furthercomprising a navigation system configured to detect a current locationof the device, and compare the current location to the stored secondlocation.
 5. The portable detection device of claim 4, furthercomprising a movement system configured to adjust a position of thedevice based on the comparison.
 6. The portable detection device ofclaim 5, wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits areconfigured to initiate the second scan based on a result of thecomparison.
 7. The portable detection device of claim 5, wherein thescore indicates at least one of a number, a density, a distribution, anda frequency of detected contraband devices in the controlled-environmentfacility.
 8. A method for performing a contraband device threat analysisof a controlled-environment facility, the method comprising: conductinga first contraband device scan at a first location, the first contrabanddevice scan detecting an absence or a presence of a contraband wirelesscommunication device within a first scan area; conducting a secondcontraband device scan at a second location, the second contrabanddevice scan detecting an absence or a presence of a contraband wirelesscommunication device within a second scan area; analyzing results of thefirst contraband device scan and the second contraband device scan; andcalculating a threat score for the controlled-environment facility basedon the analysis.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receivingthe first location and the second location from a server.
 10. The methodof claim 9, further comprising navigating to the first location based onthe received first location; determining that the device has arrived atthe first location; and initiating the first contraband device scan inresponse to the determining.
 11. The method of claim 8, wherein thecalculating of the threat score includes: determining a number ofdistinct contraband devices detected by the first and second scans; anddetermining a distribution of the contraband devices within thecontrolled environment facility.
 12. The method of claim 8, furthercomprising: storing first scan results of the first scan in associationwith the first location; and storing second scan results of the secondscan in association with the second location.
 13. The method of claim 9,further comprising: receiving signals from a satellite; and calculatinga current location of the device based on the received signals.
 14. Asystem for determining a contraband threat level of acontrolled-environment facility, the system comprising: a remote scannerthat includes: a radio transceiver configure to receive instructionsfrom a terminal, and to carry out a plurality of contraband devicescans; and a memory configured to store scan results of the plurality ofdevice scans; and a location subsystem configured to determine a currentlocation of the remote scanner; and the terminal that includes: atransceiver; and one or more processors and/or circuits configured to:cause the transceiver to transmit the instructions to the remotescanner, the instructions including a scan location; and receive via thetransceiver, scan results from the remote scanner.
 15. The system ofclaim 14, the remote scanner further comprising a movement subsystemconfigured to move the remote scanner.
 16. The system of claim 15, theremote scanner further comprising one or more processors and/or circuitsconfigured to compare the scan location to the current location, and tocause the movement system to move the remote scanner toward the scanlocation based on the comparison.
 17. The system of claim 15, whereinthe location subsystem is configured to receive location signals from asatellite, and to calculate the current location of the remote scannerbased on the location signals.
 18. The system of claim 14, the remotescanner further comprising a movement system configured to causephysical movement of the remote scanner.
 19. The system of claim 14,wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits of the terminal areconfigured to calculate a threat score of the controlled-environmentfacility based on the received scan results.
 20. The system of claim 19,wherein the threat score indicates a level of infiltration of contrabandwireless communication devices into the controlled-environment facility.